Actuator valve



R. R. DAHL ACTU-ATOR VALVE Filed may e, 195s Juy' l2, 1960 Ezazzaz"United States Patent O AcrUA'roR VALVE Robert R. Dahl, Chicago, Ill.,assignor to The Dole Valve This invention relates in general toimprovements in iluid flow control devices, and more particularly to anactuator valve useful in connection with loading and unloading ahydraulic motor, although other uses and purposes may be apparent to oneskilled in the art.

Stillrmore particularly, the actuator valve of the present invention maybe employedto control pressurized fluid ilow to a hydraulic cylinderassembly.` By way of a specific example, an actuator valve accordingtothe pres-V ent inventionmay be employed to-gradually deliverpressurized fluid to a hydraulic actuating cylinder mounted in anautomatic-washing machine for gradually: engaging a overload of themotor.

afford a rapid ,exhausting of fluid from `fthe actuating cylinder. L .i

Accordingly, the actuator valve ofthe present invention includes acasing having an inlet adapted to-be connected to the fluid pressuresource, va combination inlet-outlet adapted to be connected to ahydraulic actuating cylinder` and anV exhaust outlet kadapted to beconnected toa drain or other low pressure line. Within the casing, asolenoid controlledpilot operated valve coacts withy a .sliding sleeveor. hollow piston in order to selectively connect they inlet-outlet tothe fluid pressure inlet Yand the hydraulic cylinder, and theinlet-outlet. to the exhaust outlet. 'AV poppet valve generally operatesin unison with the slid-Y 2 ing sleeve and pilot-operated valve'to openand closea passage between the exhaust outletand the inlet-coutletto thehydraulic cylinder.. Additionally, this ,poppet valve is, springconnected with ,theV pilot-operated kvalve and serves` as a vreliefvalve when closingthe PaSSageway'between the exhaust outlet and theinlet-outletrtothe hydraulic "Ice wherein better exhaust characteristicsand operation in the critical low pressure range isobtained.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of anactuator valve which will exhaust satisfactorily Y where extremely lowinlet pressures are encountered.

A still further object of this invention is in the provision of anactuator valve including a sliding sleeve or hollow piston which is notopposed by any spring force in either direction of movement, and whichis therefore capable of exhausting at low inlet pressures.

Another object of this invention is to provide an actuator valve for usein delivering a predetermined maximum fluid pressure to a hydrauliccylinder or the like, which includes a combination relief and exhaustvalve.

A further object of this invention is in the provision of a flow controlvalve which feeds a predetermined maximum pressurized fluid flow to ahydraulic cylinder or the like.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a valve forcontrolling a pressurized fluid ilow to a hydraulic actuator, which iscapable of gradually delivering pressurized fluid to the actuator untilthe pressure in the the pressure at that value.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention willbe apparentfromY the following detailed disclosure, taken-in conjunction with theaccompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals referto like parts in'which:

VOn the drawings: j

Figure lis a vertical sectional view of an actuator valve according tothe invention in its off position iand showing some parts in elevationandcther` parts broken away forV purposes of clarity; and Y f Figure 2is a fragmentary View of the valve in Figure 1 illustrating-the positionof the movable parts when the valve is in on position. i f

As shown onthe drawings:

Illustrated in the drawings is an actuator valve assembly,V generallydesignated by the numeral 10, in accordance with the present invention.rlhis assembly includes a casing 11 having aninlet fitting 12, an outletfitting i3 functioning to' accommodate v'fluid flow inV eithersuitableiluid `pressure source, the outlet Vfitting 13 may be connectedjto a suitable fluid pressure actu-ating devicesuch as `a hydrauliccylinder, bellows or diaphragm `assemblywhichis capable of translatingtheA energyV of aY Y fluid pressure into a mechanicalmovement or thelike for cylinder for maintainingra predetermined maximum pressure inthe hydraulic cylinden Energization lofthe solenoid opens the `pilotoperated valve and closes the combination relief and exhaustVvalve'togconnect the fluid preslarly, the valve 10 may be employed toactuate a hydrausure inletto the inlet-outlet andthe hydraulic cylinder,

thereby causingactuation of the cylinder. Deenergization of the solenoidcloses the pilot-operated valve and opens the combinationA relief andexhaust valve in order to connect the inlet-outlet'and the exhaustportfor exhausting the iluid from thecylinder. s

Itis therefore an object'of this invention to provide Van surized iluidVflow to a hydraulic cylinder orf-the like,V

lic cylinder which, in turn,.is mountedin an` automatic washing-machinein order 'to gradually bring f a'pulley and a driving ',belt'intodriving engagement, and hold the pulley and` beltfin engagement under aconstant predetermined Vforce duringa particular cycle of operationofthe-washing machine.V At the end of the cycle of engagement betweenthe pulley and ydriving-belts.

' Extending vertically in the casing 11 is a lbore 15 that i slidablyreceives a sleeve or hollow piston 16 which is: prevented from `rotatingrelative to the casing by a suit- Vable key and groove arrangement, suchas indicated byl the numeral 17. At the lower end of the sleeve, Iadiametrically reduced portion 18 Yis slidably received within f. Vadiametrically reduced bore 19extendingbelow the main k bore 15. Asubstantially annular shoulder 20 is pro-'- vided at the bottom of thebore 19 which serves as a stop to limit the downward movement of thesleeve 16. A portion between the bottom of the upper bore 15 and the topof the lower bore 19 is fashioned to define with the sleeve 16 adownwardly converging section which receives a fiexible Oring seal 21for preventing the leakage of fluid aiong the outer walls ofthe sleeve16.

An annular valve seat 22 is provided at the top of the slidable sleeve16 for coaction with a flexible diaphragm 23 of a uid operated solenoidcontrolled diaphragm valve 24, also known as a pilot-operated diaphragmvalve. The diaphragm 23 may be constructed Yof any suitable res-ilientmaterial, such as a rubber-like material or a synthetic plasticmaterial, and is anchored at its periphery and therefore provided with amarginal 'bead 25 which is seated in an annular groove 26 of the casing11. In order to retain the `marginal bead 25 in place on the casing, aradial liange of a bell-shaped member 27 is positioned in overlyingrelationship relative the bead. Overlying the radial flange of themember 27 is a horizontal apertured portion of a mounting plate 2S. Acoil pack assembly 29, in turn, overlies the member 27 and thehorizontal portion of the plate 28, and suitable fasteners (not shown)are provided to removably Iattach the coil pack Iassembly and themounting plate to the casing 1i. Extending upwardly yfrom thebell-shaped member 27 is a tubular guide section 27a adapted to bereceived within the coil pack assembly 29 and to slidably receivetherein a pilot plunger 30. The pilot plunger 30 coacts with the coilpack assembly 29 to function as an armature and constitute a solenoid31. A return spring 32 constantly urges the pilot plunger 30 downwardlyin the tubular guide 27a. Terminals 33, 33 are provided on the coi-lpack assembly 29 Ifor connection to a suitable electrical power source.

The bottom end of the pilot plunger 30 is conically shaped to coact witha pilot port 34 extending axially through the center of a diaphragm 23for accommodating opening and closing thereof. A fluid chamber 35 isdefined by the upper side of the diaphragm 23 and the bellshaped member27, while an annular passageway 36 is defined Iby the underside of thediaphragm, the casing and the sleeve 16. Intercommunicating the chamber35 and the passageway 36 for purposes of pressure loading the upper faceof the diaphragm is an orifice or bleed hole 23a. This hole is smallerthan the pilot port 34. Communicating with the -annular passageway 36lis an inlet passageway 37 which receives the incoming pressuriz'edfluid from, the inlet fitting 12.

In order to maintain a substantially constant rate of fluid flow to thediaphragm valve 24 irrespective of the pressure of the uid delivered tothe inlet fitting 12, a iiow control device, generally -designated bythe numeral 38 is positioned between the inlet fitting and the inletpassageway 37. This fiow control device includes an elastic or exiblewasher or disk 39 having an axial oritice 39a therein. The disk 39 issuitably seated in a counterbore of the casing which leads to a bore 40interconnecting the inlet passage 37 and the inlet 12, and which is ofgreater size than the axial orifice 39a in the disk. The elastic disk 39may be constructed of'any suitable elastic material, such as rubber,synthetic rubber, or the like, and it is noted that the ydischarge sideof the disk is `cut away around the orifice 39a and 39h to allowrelative movement between the discharge side thereof and lits stationaryseat. Whe'ni fluid is passed through theV fiow control device 38, thepressure of the fluid upon the upper face 39a causes-the elasticmaterial in the region of the orifice 39a to be distorted and forcedinward against its seat. This distortion causes the inlet end of theorifice 39a to be reduced in size or crosssectional area according tothe pressure of the fluid on the upper surface 39C, therebyautomatically reducing the effective opening of the orifice 39a inaccordance with the fluid pressure. Thus, irrespective of the pressureofthe fluid at the inlet- 172, the uid Ydelivered to the inlet 4 37 willbe maintained substantially lat a constant rate of tiow.

A screen 41 is positioned ahead of the flow control device 38 foriiltering out any large particles which may be contained in the fluidpassing therethrough. The fitting 12 is removable from the casing 11 inorder to provide access to the screen 41 and the flow washer 39. AnO-ring seal 42 prevents leakage of liuid between the tting land thecasing, and a plurality of fasteners 43 (only one shown) maintain thefitting and the screen and the flow control iwasher 39 in position onthe casing.

Therefore, it is seen that the tluid operated solenoid vcontrolleddiaphragm'valve 24 selectively intercommunicates the inlet 12 and theoutlet 13.

In order to exhaust the pressurized iiuid from the hydraulic actuatingdevice connecting to the outlet 13, means is provided to connect theoutlet 13 to the exhaust port 14. A passageway or bore 44intercommunicates the outlet 13 and exhaust port 14 and is selectivelyopen and closed by a poppet valve 45. This poppet valve includes a stem46, a Valve head 47 at the lower end of the stem, and a guide portion 48at the upper end of the stern. In order to assure proper sealing betweenthe valve head 47 and the outlet end of the passageway 44, the valvehead includes a flexible or resilient cap portion of rubber or otherequivalent material, and is curvately shaped on the side which engagesthe discharge end of the passageway 44. The guide member 48 is in theform of a cup-shaped member with an apertured bottom to be received overa reduced end of the stem 46. The open end of the cup-shaped guide 48 istelescopically received within an enlarged counterbore of the slidingsleeve 16 in such 'a manner as to limit the distance the guide member 48will move within the sleeve 16. The bottom openiend of the sleeve 16, ofcourse, communicates with the outlet V13:, and' in order to assure theproper fluid ow' between these elements, the guide 48 is provided withslotted openings along its upstanding wall, as indicated at 48a.

In order to support the poppet valve45 and enable it to coact with themovement of the diaphragm valve 24, a hollow metal insert 23b is moldedinto the diaphragm 23, and provided with transverse openings at itslower end to receive a substantially U-shaped bar 49 which is connectedto one end of a spring 50. The other end of the spring is receivedrn atransverse hole provided in the top of the poppet valve stem '46. `Inorder to hold the poppet valve, the sliding sleeve 16 and the diaphragm23 in their proper relative positions, as shown in Figure l, for normaloperation, the spring 50 is pretensioned a predetermined amount.

-As shown in Figure l, the movable parts in the valve 10 are locatedVsuch that the valve is in its ott position, while in Figure 2 the partsare shown as located such that the valve is in its on position. In itsofi position, the outlet 13 is connected to the exhaust port 14, and thediaphragm valve 24 is closed, while Ythe valve in its onA positioncloses the poppet valve 45 and opens the diaphragm valve 24, therebyproviding communication between the inlet 12 and the outlet 13.

In operation, in4 actuating. the hydraulic actuating device connected tothe outlet'13, the solenoid 31 is energized, thus lifting the pilotplunger 310 out of the pilot port 34 of the diaphragm 23. Since the uidcan then pass downwardly faster through the larger Ypilot port 34, thanupwardly through the orifice 23a, a pressure differential across thediaphragm 23 causes it to lift. Because of the connection between thediaphragm 23 and the poppet valve 45, the latter and the sliding sleeve16 will be lifted in unison with the diaphragm until the poppet valveseats. In this instance, the poppet valve 45 is operating as an exhaustvalve. The spring 50 is pretensioned an amount suicient to` hold thediaphragm 23 in contact with the top annular seat 22 of the sleeve 16while the upward motion of a-ll of these elements is in progress. Thisupward motion continues vuntil the exhaust vali/'e745 seats f cationwith the outlet 13V. Obviously, the exhaust port' 14 is closed at thistime. Hence, it is seen that the valveV 45 closes beforethe valve 24opens.

Fluid continues to ow to the outlet 13 and into the hydraulic actuatingdevice until its stroke is completed and the pressure starts to ,build`up to a desired holding value. Should Ythe, pressure build up beyond thedesired holding value, it4 will cause the poppet valve 45 to openagainst the force of the spring 50 and divert part of the water flowthrough the exhaust port 14. Thus, thepoppet valve 45 serves in thisinstance as a relief valve, and may therefore be properly termed as acombination relief and exhaust valve. As a reliefvalve, it will serve tomaintain the holding pressure at the required value.

The relief valve setting actually depends upon a hydraulic balancebetween the 'pressure existing on the annular area of the underside ofthe diaphragm 23 and 'that which is imposed on .the relief poppet valve.The guide portion 48 of the relief valve may be rigidly attached to thesleeve of the sleeve 16, or as shown in Figure k1', itl

limit Vthe maximum pressure/in4 the outletwto a predete'rmined value.

inlet, an outlet, and anV exhaust port, `a pilot-operated diaphragmvalve for controlling tluid iiow between thel inlet and the outlet, Vacombination exhaust and relief valve -for controlling the vfluid owbetween the outlet and said exhaust port` and limiting the maximumfluid; pressure in the outlet to a predetermined value, and a-v uniformrate of liowcontrol device in said inlet cooperating with said lexhaustand relief valve and maintaining the pressure in said outlet at saidpredetermined valuebetween the inlet and the outlet, `and a combinationexmay merely be held against a shoulder in this piston. f

kWith the diaphragm valve 24 in its open position and the I poppet valve45 in its closedposition, .theV component movable parts of the Yvalve 10will take the position as shown in Figure 2.V Y o i When the solenoid 31is deenergized,l the diaphragm vrvalve 24 tends to close inaccordance--withthe .normal operation of a pilot operated diaphragmvalve, wherein pressure builds up on the top of the diaphragm forcing-the diaphragm to seat and close the communication be- Y tween the inlet12V and the outlet 13g-As the pressure by a spring of any type, therebypermitting satisfactory` exhausting where inlet pressures are low.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eiectedwithout departing from the scope ofthe novel concepts'of the presentinvention, but it is understood that this application is to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

-I claim as `my invention: Y.

l. -In a ow control valve, av casing having an inlet for connection to asource of pressurized uid, an inletoutlet for connection to an actuatingdevice, and an exhaust port, a hollow member slidably mounted in'rsaidcasing and having a valve seat on one end,'a pilot-operated valve membercoacting with said valvev seat to selectively intercommunicate saidinlet and said inlet-outlet, and a combination relief and exhaust valveconnected with said pilot-operated valve member and seated on saidexhaust port uponjopening of said pilot operated valve member andresponsive to iiuid under pressure through said inlet-outlet forselectively intercommunicating said inlet-outlet and said exhaust port.

2. An actuator valve comprising a casing having an inlet, an outlet, andan exhaust port, a pilot operated valve for controlling fluid flowbetween the inlet and the outlet, and a poppet valve connected with saidpilot operated valve for controlling fluid flow between the outlet andthe exhaust port, the connection between said pilot operated valve andsaid poppet valve being yieldable and thereby accommodating said poppetvalveY to haust and relief valve connected with said pilot-operateddiaphragm valveand seated on said exhaust port upon opening of saidpilot operated diaphragm valve and responsive to fluid under pressurepassing through for controlling the iluid flow between the outlet andsaid exhaust port and limitin-g the maximum fluid pressure in the outletto a predetermined value.

5` lIn a valve assembly including a casing having an inlet, an outletand an exhaust port, a iluid operated solenoid controlled vdiaphragmvalve communicating at its inlet side with said inlet and'at itsdischarge side with said outlet, a combinationexhaustY and relief valvecommunicating at its inletside with, said outlet and at its dischargeside vwith said exhaust port, saidfuidoperatedvalve and said combinationvalve acting in'lunison to 7 Y selectively dommunicatetheginletandioutletorthe out- Y let and Ythe exhaust' p`ort'and yieldablyconnected bel,

tween ysaid diaphragm valve and'said combination valve operative'tolimit the maximum.iluid 'pressure at said outlet when the inletcommunicates with the outlet.

6. In a valve assembly including a casing having an inlet, an outlet andan exhaust port, a bore in said casing intercommunicatingy said inletand outlet, a sleeve slidable in said bore, a pilot-operated valvecoacting with one end of said sleeve for controlling iiuid ow betweensaid inlet and outlet, and a poppet valve yieldably connected to andmovable with said pilot-operated valve to control fluid ow between saidoutlet vand said exhaust port.

7. `In a valve assembly including a casing having an inlet, an outletand an exhaust port, a bore in said casing interecommunicating saidinlet and outlet, a sleeve slidable in said bore and having an annularvalve seat atV A the end adjacent the inlet, a pilot-operated diaphragm`coacting with said valve seat to control fluid flow between said inletand said outlet, a passageway intercommunicating said -outlet and saidexhaust port, a poppet Vvalve operable in said passageway controllingfluid ow therethrough, and meansV for yresiliently connecting saiddiaphragm and poppet valve, whereby said poppet closesv said openingbefore said diaphragm unseats from said valve'seat to interconnectsaidinlet and outlet.

` `8. In a valve assembly including a casing having an inlet, an outletand an exhaust port, a bore in said casing intercommunicating said inletand outlet, asleever slidable in said bore and having an annular valveseat at the end adjacent the inlet, a pilot-operated diaphragm coactingwith said valve seat lto control tluid flow between said inlet and saidoutlet, a passageway intercommunieating said outlet and said exhaustport, a poppet valve operablerin said passageway for controlling uidiiow therethrough and a pretensioned spring for resilientlyY 3. Anactuator valve comprising a casing-having an 7 nteroomrnunieating'saidinlet and said outlet, a sleeve freely slidable in said bore and havingan annular valve seat at'the end adjacent said inlet, a solenoidcontrolled pilot-operated diaphragm coacting with said valve seat'capable of opening and closing communication between said inlet andrsaidoutlet, a passageway intercommunieating said outlet with said exhaustport, a combination relief and exhaust valve coacting with saidpassageway for opening and closing same, and a pretensioned springconnecting said diaphragm `and valve, whereby energiz'ation of saidsolenoid controlled diaphragm closes said combination relief and exhaustvalve and then unseats the diaphragm from the valve seat of the slidablesleeve in order to open communication between the inlet and the outlet,and said combination relief and exhaust valve further serving to limitthe maximum iluid pressure developed at the outlet.

10. In a valve assembly including a casing having an inlet, an outletand an exhaust port, a bore in said casing intercommunicating said inletand said outlet, a 20 sleeve slidably in said bore having lan annularvalve seat at the end adjacent said inlet, a pilot operated diaphragmcoacting Withsaid valve seat to control uid ow between said inlet andsaid outlet, a puppet valve actuatable by said diaphragm -forcontrolling fluid 110W Vbetween che outlet and the exhaust port,'and aunform rate of ow control device in said inlet cooperating with saidpoppet valve and maintaining the pressure in said outlet Vat apredetermined value under varying inlet pressures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGreat'Britain ue Apr. 14, 1936

